Swinging bucket rotor assembly

Claim 2

A centrifuge rotor of the type including a rotor head having a plurality of cavities configured for receiving buckets having enlarged shoulders and means in each of said cavities for supporting a bucket by a bucket cap having hook means, the bucket being supported in a vertical position and being allowed to swing into a horizontal position where the shoulder seats on a portion of said cavity during centrifugation the improvement comprising for each cavity a pocket formed within said cavity for receiving at least a portion of said hook means, a hole for retaining the bucket supporting means, said hole extending through the rotor spaced from and parallel to the axis of the rotor communicating with said pocket, a well formed within said cavity and spaced radially outwardly from the pocket forming a portion of said rotor therebetween, and a slot in that portion of the rotor, said slot having a width sufficient for passage therethrough of the hook means of the bucket cap.

Claim 3

A centrifuge rotor assembly of the type including a rotor body having a plurality of bucket receiving cavities and pin means in said cavities adapted to support an associated bucket in a vertical position and allowing it to swing into a horizontal position where it moves outwardly to seat on a portion of said cavity during a centrifugation operation the improvement comprising for each cavity a pocket formed within said cavity, a hole extending through the rotor spaced from and parallel to the axis of the rotor communicating with said pocket, a well formed within said cavity and spaced radially outwardly of the rotor axis, said rotor being slotted for forming a guide slot extending between said pocket and well, said pin means including an elongated hanger extending through said hole with one end disposed in said pocket and a cross pin secured to said one end of the hanger, said cross pin including end portions shaped for seating on the adjacent wall portions of said pocket under the action of centrifugal force.

Claim 4

A centrifuge rotor assembly of the type including a rotor body having a plurality of bucket receiving cavities and pin means in said cavities adapted to support an associated bucket in a vertical position and allowing it to swing into a horizontal position where it moves outwardly to seat on a portion of said cavity during a centrifugation operation the improvement comprising for each cavity a pocket formed within said cavity, a hole extending through the rotor spaced from and parallel to the axis of the rotor communicating with said pocket, a well formed within said cavity and spaced radially outwardly of the rotor axis, said rotor being slotted for forming a guide slot extending between said pocket and well, said pin means including an elongated hanger extending through said hole with one end disposed in said pocket and a cross pin secured to said one end of the hanger, said cross pin including end portions shaped for seating on the adjacent wall portions of said pocket under the action of centrifugal force.

Claim 5

A rotor assembly as in claim 2 wherein the upper portion of said hanger includes a split threaded hole, a screw in said threaded hole for securing the hanger to the rotor body.

Claim 6

A rotor assembly as in claim 3 wherein said hanger includes a boss engaging the wall of said hole when the hanger is deflected a predetermined amount.

Claim 7

A centrifuge rotor assembly of the type including a rotor body having a plurality of cavities configured for receiving buckets having enlarged shouders and pin means in said cavities adapted to support an associated bucket in a vertical position and allowing it to swing into a horizontal position where the shoulder seats on a portion of said cavity during centrifugation the improvement comprising for each cavity a generally cylindrical pocket formed within said cavity, a hole extending through the rotor spaced from and parallel to the axis of the rotor communicating generally centrally with said pocket, a well formed within said cavity and spaced radially outwardly from said pocket forming a portion of said rotor therebetween, a guide slot cut into said portion, said pin means being secured within said hole and extending into said pocket, and a bucket cap including at least one hook engaging said pin means to support the bucket, said hook including a flat stem portion adapted to cooperate with said guide slot to guide the stem portion.

Claim 8

A centrifuge rotor assembly of the type including a rotor body having a plurality of cavities configured for receiving buckets having enlarged shouders and pin means in said cavities adapted to support an associated bucket in a vertical position and allowing it to swing into a horizontal position where the shoulder seats on a portion of said cavity during centrifugation the improvement comprising for each cavity a generally cylindrical pocket formed within said cavity, a hole extending through the rotor spaced from and parallel to the axis of the rotor communicating generally centrally with said pocket, a well formed within said cavity and spaced radially outwardly from said pocket forming a portion of said rotor therebetween, a guide slot cut into said portion, said pin means being secured within said hole and extending into said pocket, and a bucket cap including at least one hook engaging said pin means to support the bucket, said hook including a flat stem portion adapted to cooperate with said guide slot to guide the stem portion.

Claim 9

A rotor assembly as in claim 5 wherein said pin means include a cross-pin at the end of a hanger disposed in said hole and said hook is slotted to form spaced portions straddling said hanger.

Claim 10

A rotor assembly as in claim 5 wherein said hanger includes a boss engaging the wall of said hole when the hanger is deflected a predetermined amount.

Claim 11

A rotor assembly as in claim 4 wherein said hole has a substantially uniform cross section and said hanger is tapered downwardly with the upper portion thereof having approximately the same cross-section as said hole, said boss being disposed adjacent the lower edge of said hole.

Claim 12

A rotor assembly as in claim 7 wherein said pin is a cross pin secured to the free end of said hanger, said cross pin including end portions shaped for seating on the adjacent wall portions of said pocket, the parts of said rotor assembly being so configured that under the action of the centrifugal force after the shoulder of the bucket is seated on a portion of said cavity said cross pin travels an additional distance to seat on said wall portion to relieve the strain of the hook on said cross pin.